Isa 27:3

Isa 27:3  I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.                                                                                                                                                 Isaiah 27 continues with the prophecy that God will deliver Jerusalem and punish the oppressors: “In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea” (v.1). What is a leviathan? I don’t know. Many think it’s a crocodile. Obviously, Isaiah is here using these names metaphorically to describe historical enemies of God. These three creatures (two leviathans and one dragon) are emblems of three imperial powers. What nation does each represent? It could refer to Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medes-Persia, or the Greek empire. Anyway, God will destroy all of them and deliver His people back to Judah. In that day, Judah will be like a vineyard of red wine to God and He will tend it and care for it like His own (v.2-3). The mention of God's watering and caring for the vineyard is the same promise found in John 15:1-7. Christ called Himself the True Vine. In His parables, the Father is the owner and keeper of the vineyard (Matthew 20:1; 21:33). The deliverance of Judah is a type of the deliverance of all men in the gospel age. The prophecy is pointing to a far greater event. In verse 6, “Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit”, was fulfilled when the gospel message was preached to the whole world (Romans 1:8). When that was accomplished, then it can be said: “the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem” (v.13). That happened when the Gentiles became citizens of the kingdom of God. Paul says that “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” (Ephesians 5:25, 26). Christ loved the church so much to give His life for it. How will He protect His church? Isaiah says: “I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day” (v.3). I the LORD do keep it – He is the keeper and watchman of His vineyard, the church. He keeps His church and people away from sin: “That he might sanctify and cleanse it”. He keeps it from the wiles of Satan: “And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18b). I will water it every moment – Christ is the fountain of living water. He says those who come to Him shall never thirst (John 6:35). Christ tends to the church because He is the Good Shepherd. Lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day – Satan, as a roaring lion, wants to hurt the church (1 Peter 5:8). To prevent any such hurt and damage to His church, Christ undertakes to watch over the church day and night. This work of watching over the church is likewise laid on the shoulders of the elders. The apostle Paul charged the elders: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). Paul himself was one who was constantly watching out for the Christians: “I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20:31b). Brethren, it is not just the elders’ job to look out for every one’s soul. As brethren, we need to be a brother’s keeper (James 5:19, 20). Do you love the church like Christ loves it? If you do, you need to keep it, water it, and ensure no hurt comes to it. Yes, love God; love His church!